The chip symbolizes six months sober and are given out during AA meetings as a means of encouragement and support.

Members often wear the disc around their necks or thread it on to a key ring so it can be close by if they are tempted to weaken and reach for the bottle.

The recovering star has shed a stone in weight after going without booze for months and takes his meetings so seriously that he confessed to being late for a charity football match because he was attending an AA counselling session.

The source added: “Michael is feeling on top of the world. He is homing in on a massive milestone for him and he knows there will be further temptations along the way but he has got to keep his mind focussed.”

The 49-year-old star checked into The Priory clinic close to his home in Hale, Greater Manchester, after a string of revelations over his drink and drug problems.

The actor– who is being helped in his recovery by girlfriend Louise Gibbons, 38 – was given unlimited time off by Coronation Street execs as he rebuilt his life but returned to work last month to begin filming.

He had briefly returned to his role in the Street in late January following almost a year away from the cobbles as he fought and won child rape allegations at Manchester Crown Court.

During his trial he admitted to being an alcoholic and following his return to the set he confessed to taking cocaine to deal with the stress of the trial.

Then ex-lover Blanca Fouche, 32, revealed further worrying details about the extent of his drug taking and boozing he agreed to a stint in rehab.